Bright gym room with exercise equipments and tv
With the right fitness equipment, you can fit a total body workout in your day with no issues. Sometimes you just can't make it to the gym and sometimes you just want to use time as an excuse. A home gym solves a lot of issues and it effectively helps end excuses altogether.
However, you want to select the best fitness equipment when building out your home gym. Below, we will be going over some of the different types of home gym equipment that you should be looking at investing in for your home gym. Read our detailed home-gym equipment reviews to learn about the different types of fitness tools available!
There are different categories of home gym equipment depending on usage. Some machines are for balance, cardio, strength training, or for overall fitness. There are treadmills, ellipticals, step machines, exercise bikes, and rowing machines, just to name a few.
This article will discuss 8 of the most common types of exercise equipment that you can use at home:
- Treadmills
- Elliptical Machines
- Exercise Bikes
- Step Machines
- Rowing Machines
- Dumbbells
- Ab Benches
- Resistance Bands
In a hurry, here are our top picks:
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Different Types Of Home Gym Equipment
1. Treadmill
First and foremost, every home gym should come with a high-quality treadmill. A treadmill should be at the forefront of your home gym purchase list. It can offer a lot of unique benefits you won't get with other exercise equipment. There is a reason every gym is packed full of treadmills.
A treadmill can provide an exceptional cardio workout and you can easily find models available that don't have significant footprints. Therefore, you should be able to fit a treadmill into your home gym setup even if you are limited in available space.
A treadmill can provide you with an easy and effective way to get in the recommended 150 or more minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity each week. Likewise, studies have shown that running a mere 5 to 10 minutes per day at slow speeds comes with significantly reduced risks of death from various causes including cardiovascular disease.
2. Elliptical Machine
An elliptical machine is another excellent alternative for those that want something that will provide a highly effective cardio workout while reducing the impact on bones and joints. If you want a cardiovascular workout but you can't sustain the heavy impact that is required from a treadmill, an elliptical can be an excellent alternative.
There are plenty of good things about elliptical machines that make it a very good addition to your home gym. For one, it can provide a total body workout in a way that a treadmill can't.
This is due to the fact elliptical machines typically feature moving handles which will allow you to not only workout your lower body and midsection, but also your upper body including your arms and chest.
3. Exercise Bike
Another excellent addition to your home gym would be an exercise bike. This is another low impact option for those looking to get in an effective cardio workout without the high impact required by a treadmill machine. There are different types of exercise bikes that you can consider based on the type and intensity of workout you are looking to get from it.
For instance, there is an upright bike which is very similar to what you would get with a traditional bicycle. Then there is a recumbent bike that allows you to sit in a recline position which further reduces stress on your back and joints during exercise.
There are also others including but not limited to an indoor cycling bike and a dual-action bike. Cycling is a great way to improve blood flow and get your heart pumping without putting your joints through high-impact exercise.
With an exercise bike, you can incorporate things like interval training into your routine which can help you maximize caloric burn and help push through fitness plateaus.
4. Step Machine
A step machine is another excellent addition to a home gym. You might already be well aware of how beneficial steps can be as an exercise. Unfortunately, taking the stairs or running stairs can take a toll on your joints.
A step machine is a great way to limit the impact of the activity on your joints and to experience the same benefits of doing it. The process of walking upstairs is what a step machine simulates. Thus, it can provide a targeted workout to your entire lower body including your calf muscles, thighs, hips, glutes, and core section.
Because it focuses on these areas, it can be a very beneficial workout for those looking to maximize caloric and fat burn. Likewise, it can help to improve core strength, increase bone density, and there are plenty of ways you can leverage stair stepper machines into other exercises through variation.
5. Rowing Machine
A rowing machine provides a full body workout. In fact, a rower targets the majority of your body's muscles, including your arms, legs and back. It mimics rowing a boat without the expense of a boat!
Not only is a rower a great aerobic exercise, it is low impact. Regular workouts on a rower will help you burn calories and many people use this as a way to lose weight.
Watch the following video for more information. The Sunny Health and Fitness SF-1205 rowing machine is a popular choice.
6. Dumbbell Set and Rack
A dumbbell set along with a rack can be a core component of a versatile home gym. No matter whether or not you are planning on building muscle or toning, you want to have a set of dumbbells with varied weights. Dumbbells are one of the most versatile home exercise types of equipment you can invest in because they can be used in a variety of ways.
You can add a dumbbell to all kinds of different workouts to increase the effectiveness and intensity of it including but not limited to squats, ab strengthening exercises, arm exercises, and more. There is just so much value you can get out of having dumbbells readily available in your home gym that makes having a set a must for anyone looking for a total body workout.
You can even find versatile all-in-one dumbbells on the market which can limit the amount of space you need for a set. This is especially true for those over 40 since studies show strength training with free weights like dumbbells can play a critical role in slowing bone loss and even help to increase bone density in older individuals.
7. Ab Bench
Maintaining a strong midsection is more important than having rock-solid abs. Having a strong midsection can yield a lot of other benefits like providing better stabilization for your spine, decreasing the risk of injury, and more.
Having an ab bench will allow you to get an all-around core workout to keep your mid-section strong and flexible.
There are ab benches on the market that provide a lot of versatility in terms of the workouts you are able to accomplish with them. For instance, you might be able to target upper and lower abs and even add dumbbells and other accessories to perform other exercises using the bench, as well.
For a fuller review, visit Do Your Abs Need Work?
8. Resistance Bands
Resistance band fitness at home Asian woman doing leg workout donkey kick floor exercises with strap elastic. Glute muscle activation with kickback for thighs cellulite.
Resistance bands are great for any workout. They are great for beginners or the serious. Watch the video to see how they can be used
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Summary
Having home gym equipment is one of the best ways to give yourself a chance to stick to a workout routine. A lot of people give up or fail to achieve the necessary consistency to meet their health and workout goals because the process of going to the gym is inconvenient and time-intensive.
By bringing a complete home gym to the convenience of your own home with this type of equipment, you should be able to eliminate any and all excuses you might otherwise use to avoid achieving your health and exercise goals this year.